DIY Cable Questions and Comments Thread

[Paladin79]

  I am making DIY Cinch cables using microphone wire. This wire has two inner conductors and a shield. I'm wondering whether I should use the second inner conductor or the cable shielding as ground.
If I use the shielding, is it a good idea to use both inner conductors for the signal pin? I am inclined to believe it's a good idea, because it effectively doubles the gauge. Also, the two conductors are twisted, so it might help against interference?

you can indeed double two twisted pair wires and increase the gauge by a factor of three as I recall. two 14 awg become 11 awg, 
 
Try doing that with two ground wires and they best be twisted as well if my theory serves me correctly other wise you can have a ground loop.
 
I am not familiar with the term cinch connector but if it has a hot and a ground you are fine.

 

[rmoody]

 
Here is the circular crimper I use for the crimp ring on the Hirose connectors. This type of tool is used for crimping the ground sleeve on bnc and rca connectors. The majority of them have removable dies and are hex shaped, those will work as well and they are available from most electronic suppliers like Markertek. The perfect size is for RG 58 cable but RG 59 crimp dies will get you very close as well. This type of tool works very well for crimping the prongs on 3.5 mm and quarter inch connectors so they are uniform and round and so the teeth will not penetrate the jacket and short the wires to ground. You can get away with other methods but I like to use the connectors as they were designed to be used and this type of crimper might be $20 or less compared to paying $340 for the name brand crimper.
 
I should be building a few cables today for my Alpha Primes and if I get time I will post more pics. A gap between the crimp ring and wires can be built up with heat shrink tubing or silicone tape. The silicone tape adheres to itself but it needs no adhesive base like electrical tape.
 
Here is a hex crimper from Markertex that would have openings the proper size. This one is a little pricey for DIY'rs but if you look for an RG 58 hex crimper on Ebay there are bound to be cheaper ones available.
 
http://www.markertek.com/product/pal-1317/paladin-1317-crimp-tool-for-rg-58-rg59-rg62au
 
Ebay:
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RadioShack-Cable-Crimper-Coax-Hex-RG59-RG6-RG58-/331937756351?hash=item4d490834bf:g:GwIAAOSww9VXhHMe
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1PCS-COAXIAL-Crimper-crimping-Pliers-Cable-Tool-HEX-DIE-RG58-RG59-/151247816692?hash=item23371287f4:g:3rAAAMXQEgpTF6n1

Where did you find that round crimper? I've not found one no matter how hard I've searched.
 
I wonder if I took the hex crimper and applied some drill press to it if I could get a nice round crimper?

 

[Paladin79]

 
Quote:

 
Where did you find that round crimper? I've not found one no matter how hard I've searched.
 
I wonder if I took the hex crimper and applied some drill press to it if I could get a nice round crimper?

I have had that tool for years and it was made by a company named Jerrald but I am not sure how available they are, hex crimpers work fine, once you get the basic shape, use the hex crimper to finish the job. If you locate a hex crimper with too small of a circular opening, you can stop the crimp and ht the release tab on a racheted crimper. They build this safety feature in so you can get out of a situation where the crimper gets stuck and cannot go any farther to open its jaws. Another tool I find very helpful when working with headshells and small connectors are 5 inch ignition pliers such as this one. You can find plenty of them on ebay by searching for that exact term.(ignition pliers) They are good for rounding the lugs a bit before I crimp them.

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

Can i take a cable like this for example:
 

 
Regular L/R
 
and cut and go +/- on both sides and make them balanced?
 
4 cables to 2 for L and 2 for R being + and -?   Is it that simple?
 

 
 
Forgive the newblet to balanced question. Gonna use a PHA 3 from Sony

 

[Paladin79]

  Can i take a cable like this for example:
 

 
Regular L/R
 
and cut and go +/- on both sides and make them balanced?
 
4 cables to 2 for L and 2 for R being + and -?   Is it that simple?
 

 
 
Forgive the newblet to balanced question. Gonna use a PHA 3 from Sony

That cable appears to have four wires so yes you can. If it is run to a trs connector now they would have run both grounds to the same point. Balanced cables use separate grounds and with four wires you can rewire it to be positive left plus ground and positive right plus ground. Connectors like 3.5 mm or quarter inch trs share a common ground, balanced just used separate grounds for each channel.

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

  That cable appears to have four wires so yes you can. If it is run to a trs connector now they would have run both grounds to the same point. Balanced cables use separate grounds and with four wires you can rewire it to be positive left plus ground and positive right plus ground. Connectors like 3.5 mm or quarter inch trs share a common ground, balanced just used separate grounds for each channel.

 
 

 
Thank you very much for the reply

 
So some common viablue 3.5 would work.
 
Thank you!!!!

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

 
 
So just ( forgive my newbletwaves of moronishness)...if i had 2 wires for each of the above connects it looks like ..
 
ignore the ground?  I am using this for a PHA-3 BTW
 
My car audio system runs the drivers on L +/- R +/- and grounds are for HU and amp since this is just the audio signal can i just go  stereo connections and ignore ground ?
 
Last dumb question...i double promise!!

 

[Paladin79]

 
 
 
So just ( forgive my newbletwaves of moronishness)...if i had 2 wires for each of the above connects it looks like I would not have a ground? just one wire for stereo signal connect points.
 
Last dumb question...i double promise!!

That is a trs connection, tip, ring , and sleeve. Were you going to use two of those connectors? If not tip is left channel, ring is right channel and two grounds go to the common ground but that is not a balanced connector normally. Two balanced connectors each use their own ground and hots thus the four wires.

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

  That is a trs connection, tip, ring , and sleeve. Were you going to use two of those connectors? If not tip is left channel, ring is right channel and two grounds go to the common ground but that is not a balanced connector normally. Two balanced connectors each use their own ground and hots thus the four wires.

 
 
Yes 2 of those
 I was imagining that i am splitting the current four wires total and making two mono  signals that are stereo when combined at the PHA. That sounds too simple and apparently is not how it's done. I kinda figured this would not be as easy as snipping and solder with a 4 wire cable

 

 

[Paladin79]

   
 
Yes 2 of those
 I was imagining that i am splitting the current four wires total and making two mono  signals that are stereo when combined at the PHA. That sounds too simple and apparently is not how it's done. I kinda figured this would not be as easy as snipping and solder with a 4 wire cable

 

A TRS connector (plug) is usually a single stereo connector but you can use it as a mono but you need to use the jack (female) connector that is also TRS if at all possible. If not the connections will not line up very well. You can use the tip for positive and the sleeve for ground for each channel. On California Headphone Company connectors they tie both the tip and ring together for the hot and do the same on the female connectors, this is even better since you have less chance of developing problems with one contact. Use mono plugs with mono jacks and stereo plugs with stereo jacks. A stereo can be wired as a mono but not vice versa.

 

[XenHeadFi]

  Forgive the newblet to balanced question. Gonna use a PHA 3 from Sony

 
Do you have the wiring information for those balanced outputs on the PHA 3? Considering it is Sony and they hate using industry standards that are not their own, I think you should find how the sockets are connected. Admittedly, they can only switch the +/- so both phases would be inverted and you wouldn't hear a difference.

 

[LikesSlowCars]

The objective is simple, to replace a cheap $18 TASCAM TH02-B headphone 3.5mm fixed cable with a much more durable stereo wire and jack.
 
I read the first page on this topic, and it gives you links to a bunch of parts suppliers. ex; "Type SMC Connectors" < Gets you +2,000 results on ebay.
 
I'll need to try to pry open/drill/break off the cable connection, and then install a 3.5mm jack. Then I'll want to either buy, or create a custom cable about 4-6 feet that connects with my PC with 3.5mm.
 
But does not highlight the most important aspects as far as close tolerances (dont want it to get loose over time), durable materials (the cord on my TASCAM is starting to break apart from getting caught in my chair -one- time.), and high fidelity (no point in replacing cable if the sound suffers). At the moment, I'm taking a wild guess that "PAILICCS" 3.5mm jacks are good. That's about it.
 
I'm doing this mostly to teach myself how to modify headphones, instead of modding/breaking some $300 plus cans someday in the future.
 
Any thoughts? By the way, I'm new!

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

  A TRS connector (plug) is usually a single stereo connector but you can use it as a mono but you need to use the jack (female) connector that is also TRS if at all possible. If not the connections will not line up very well. You can use the tip for positive and the sleeve for ground for each channel. On California Headphone Company connectors they tie both the tip and ring together for the hot and do the same on the female connectors, this is even better since you have less chance of developing problems with one contact. Use mono plugs with mono jacks and stereo plugs with stereo jacks. A stereo can be wired as a mono but not vice versa.

 I am going to try on a spare set while PETEREK makes me a proper one so I can enjoy it ...then mess around on my own. Thanks for the replies bro!

 

   
Do you have the wiring information for those balanced outputs on the PHA 3? Considering it is Sony and they hate using industry standards that are not their own, I think you should find how the sockets are connected. Admittedly, they can only switch the +/- so both phases would be inverted and you wouldn't hear a difference.

 
Sony is a trip. Proprietary is like a mantra over there from PC to audio though.. it is not as bad as 10 years ago.
I will try to see what they did but it might be fun like going to the dentist fun.

 

[XenHeadFi]

  The objective is simple, to replace a cheap $18 TASCAM TH02-B headphone 3.5mm fixed cable with a much more durable stereo wire and jack.
 
I read the first page on this topic, and it gives you links to a bunch of parts suppliers. ex; "Type SMC Connectors" < Gets you +2,000 results on ebay.
 
I'll need to try to pry open/drill/break off the cable connection, and then install a 3.5mm jack. Then I'll want to either buy, or create a custom cable about 4-6 feet that connects with my PC with 3.5mm.
 
But does not highlight the most important aspects as far as close tolerances (dont want it to get loose over time), durable materials (the cord on my TASCAM is starting to break apart from getting caught in my chair -one- time.), and high fidelity (no point in replacing cable if the sound suffers). At the moment, I'm taking a wild guess that "PAILICCS" 3.5mm jacks are good. That's about it.
 
I'm doing this mostly to teach myself how to modify headphones, instead of modding/breaking some $300 plus cans someday in the future.
 
Any thoughts? By the way, I'm new!

First Welcome to DIY!
 
Second, You do not want SMC connectors. You are looking for 3.5mm TS (Tip-Sleeve, also known as mono) female sockets place in the cups and 3.5mm TS male connectors to put on the cable. Not sure what the driver wires look like in that headphone, but most headphones have very tiny and fragile wires from the socket to the driver so be careful. You can also use TRS connectors and just do not connect anything to the 3rd part. Just make sure you wire both ends the same way. Here is an example of the female socket you might be interested in: http://www.redco.com/Rean-Neutrik-NYS230.html . Male connectors are usually about looks and/or fit and there is a huge selection.
 
Third. You will most likely have to modify the cup to accept the female socket unless you are lucky and the holes are the right sizes. Hot glue is your friend.
 
Fourth. Seems like you want to replace the cable, too. Both Redco and MarkerTek have a good selection of cables that suit your purpose. Many people like to "Quad" cables like Mogami 2799 or Canare StarQuad. There is probably too much flexibility here and it really depends on what you want the end product to look like. These conductors are all Oxygen-Free 99+% Copper and are perfectly capable of transmitting audio frequencies. They shouldn't sound worse than what you have unless you make a mistake in construction.

 

[Paladin79]

 
 
Fourth. Seems like you want to replace the cable, too. Both Redco and MarkerTek have a good selection of cables that suit your purpose. Many people like to "Quad" cables like Mogami 2799 or Canare StarQuad. There is probably too much flexibility here and it really depends on what you want the end product to look like. These conductors are all Oxygen-Free 99+% Copper and are perfectly capable of transmitting audio frequencies. They shouldn't sound worse than what you have unless you make a mistake in construction.

I have mixed the Mogami and Canare on some balanced cables for my Alpha Primes and either quad is excellent. I went as far as doing some square wave tests with both brands as well as trying some binaural frequencies.